Method of treating articles



Aug. 4, 1931. A. N. SPANEL 1,317,531 METHOD OF TREATING ARTICLES IOriginal Filed A ril 4, 1928 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 g 4, 1931- A. N. SPANELMETHOD OF TREATING ARTICLES Original Filed April 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mmnon or 'rnmrmeaarrcnrs Application filed April 4, 1928, Serial No. 267,394. RenewedAugust 20, 1929.

My method relates in general to treating articles, such as clothing,beddingand the like, and in particular to a method of treating in whichthe articles are subjected to the gases or vapors of a volatilesubstance,

for the purpose of fumigating, disinfecting,

to such gases or vapors while under pres-' sure.

Another object has been to provide a method whereby the odors of thevolatile substance employed may be removed from the articles, after theyhave been fumigated or disinfected.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one form of apparatus bywhich my method may be carried out, it being obvious that this is onlyone form of apparatus, and

that it is, therefore, shown only as illustrative of the type ofapparatus necessary for the carrying out of my invention.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a face view,

partly in section, of a receptacle.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged,fragmentary, transverse, sectional view, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a complete apparatus, showing it used inthe carrying out one of the first stepsof the'method. Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the apparatus in use for carrying out one of thesubsequent steps of m method.

Referring to the i ustrative apparatus shown in the drawings, 10represents a portable receptacle, which is made of flexible orcollapsible material, preferably non-porous, such as rubberized fabricor the like. Arranged at the top of. the receptacle is a taken on line3-3 of' central bar 11, preferably of wood, which supports a metallicwire frame 12. The wire frame is preferably of the shape and dimensionof the top of the receptacle. Hooks 13 are secured in the central bar,through which a cord 14 or other supporting member may be placed. A wiresupport 15 is mounted within the upper end of the receptacle and has itscentral portion 16 secured to the central bar 11. The ends 17 of thesupport extend upward and are secured to the wire frame-12. The supportis provided with a plurality of bends 18 which provide spaced supportsfor garment hangers, one of which is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.The top 20 of the receptacle is sup orted by the central bar 11 and thewire rame 12, and the sides 21 of the receptacle are suspended from thetop 20. V

The receptacle is also provided with a bottom 22. The top and bottom,and side walls, are all suitably secured together by stitching orotherwise so as to provide substantially air tight joints. Arranged inthe bottom 'of the receptacle and supported by the bottom wal122 is arigid plate 23, which gives body to the bottom of the receptacle,

and which also provides a suitable support for the connector 24. Thisconnector is preferably tubularin form and extends throu h the plate 23and bottom 22 of the receptac e. 1

It is suitably secured to the plate 23, and carries at its upper end aperforated chamber 25. This chamber may be screw-threaded to theconnector 24, or it may have a perforated cover 26 which isscrew-threaded to the body thereof, wherebythe interior of the chamberis accessible either through the connector 24 from the outside of thereceptacle, or from the interior thereof by unscrewing the chamberitself or the cover 26 thereof.

One side of the receptacle is provided with a relatively long opening30, extending preferably from the top down the side thereof, by means ofwhich articles to be treated may be placed into the receptacle. Suitablemeans are provided for closing this 0 ening when articles have beeninserted an these means may ,compri'sea hookless fastener 29, as shownin the drawings.

which case there will be suflicient leakage In the carrying out of myprocess it is essential that some means are employed to produce acurrent of air, and for convenience I have shown a household vacuumcleaner 31. Such vacuum cleaner is provided as is customary with asuction connector 32 and with a discharge connector 33. The attachmenthose 34 of the vacuum cleaner is employed in the carrying out of myprocess.

In carrying out my process by the apparatus shown in the accompanyingdrawings,

. I first place the articles to be treated within thereof.

After the articles have been placed within the receptacle, the openin 30is closed by the fasteningmeans emp oyed. A circulation of air isprovided for either by leakage throu h the fasteningmeans or through asmal is to be employed is now laced within the chamber 25. The volati esubstance employed will depend upon the desired treatmentof thearticles. If, for instance, the treatment is for the extermination ofmoths or rendering the articles moth-proof, para dichlorbenzene or itsequivalent would constitute the agent. Obviously, the volatile substancemay be in theform of crystals or lumps, or if a liquid is used, somesuitable absorbent material may be placed withthe portion of the opening30 which is notinthe chamber 25, which will then be saturated with theagent.

After the volatile substance has been placed within the chamber 25, thehose 34:

v1s used to attach the discharge connector 33 of the vacuum cleaner 31to the connector 24 of the receptacle, and the vacuum cleaner operated.current of airwill now .be caused to pass through the vacuum cleaner,

hose 34, and into the receptaclelO. Such air will be charged by itspassage through or over the volatile substance. The crystals of thevolatile substance are then passed through the fabric of the articlescontained therein. Since the capacity of closed is relatively small-ascompared to the volume of air being assed into the receptacle a pressurewill e built up within the receptacle, which will cause its sides to bedistended, as shown in Fig. 4. If desired, the. opening 30. may becompletelyclosed, in

1 opening at the top of'thev opening 30. The volatile substance whichgases, vapors, particles, or.

of air through the fastenin means to maintain the desired pressure. hegases or vapors of the volatile substance, after having thoroughly andcompletely penetrated the articles within the receptacle, are allowed toescape through the portion of the opening 30 which is not closed at thetop. of the receptacle, or through the fastening means.

The abovestep of my method 1s carried on for a suitable length of time,which will depend upon the number of articles contained within thereceptacle, the texture of the materials of such articles, the amount ofvolatile substance used, and the volume and velocity of the air. Afterthe ingress of sufiicient volatile substance into the recep-' tacle andafter the disinfectin action has been substantially completed, t eoperation of the vacuum cleaner may be continued and uncharged air blowninto the reto the suction connector 32 thereof and uncharged air may bedrawn through the rece tacle. Y

I desired, the volatile substance may be removed from the chamber 25before the suction step of the method is started. When it is desired toremove the odor from thedisinfected articles, uncharged air may beforced or drawn through the receptacle. k

ceptacle, either through the portion of the opening 30 which is notclosed, or through the imperfect seal of the fastening means.

Such atmospheric. air in passing over and around the articles willremove from them any disagreeable odors with which they might be chargedas a result of the disinfecting or fumigating step of the process. Thisstep of the process. is continued as long as is necessary or until allof the odors a have been removed from the articles. The length of timerequired to perform this step will vary, as in the pressure step of theprocess, and will depend largely upon the number of articles containedwithin the receptacle, and the texture of the fabrics forming sucharticles, as well as upon the nature of the volatile substance employed.The completion of'this step of the process may be determined by thecondition of the air which is being discharged from the dischirigteconnector 33 of the vacuum cleaner.

er the suction step of the process has been completed,- the vacuumcleaner is stopped, and the receptacle opened where- V C t ceptacle. Orthe hose 34 may be attached upon the articles may be removed therefrom.

Obviousl under some conditions the air which is being passed through thereceptacle will ass not only around and between the artic es, butthrough the" articles as well.

While I have described the receptacle 10 as being made of non-porousmaterial, it is obvious that I may use a receptacle made of semi-porousmaterial or even one made fromv porous material.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is: v

1. A method of treating articles comprising the placing of the articlesin a portable collapsible receptacle, forcing air charged with avolatile substance through the receptacle, subjecting the air in thereceptacle to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, and thendrawin air unimpregnated through the receptacle y suction;

2. A method of treating articles comprising the placing of the articlesin a portable collapsible receptacle, forcing air charged with avolatile substance through the receptacle, and then drawing airunimpregnated from .the receptacle by suction.

3. A method of treating articles comprising the placing of the articlesin a portable,

' flexible receptacle, charging a current of air with a volatilesubstance, conducting such current of air through the receptacle, and

then forcing uncharged air through the receptacle in a reversedirection.

I 4. A method of treating articles comprising the placing of thearticles in a portable, flexible receptacle, forcing air toward, intoand through the receptacle, charging such air, in its course, with avolatile substance,

then forcing uncharged air into, through,

and out of the receptacle.

5. A method of treating articles comprising the placing of the articlesin a flexible receptacle, forcing air toward and into the receptacle,charging such air, in its course,

with a volatile substance, creating a pressure in the receptacle greaterthan atmospheric pressure, and then forcin such air through, and out ofthe receptacl e.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

' ABRAHAM N. SPANEL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,817,531. Gra'nted Augnst 4, 1931, to

ABRAHAM N. SPANEL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3,line 20, claim 1, and line 26, claim 2," for "air unimpregnated" readunimpregnated air; and that the said Letters Patent should be read withthese corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of thecase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of September, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

